In 1928-29, Swiss-German expressionist Paul Klee traveled through Egypt, crossing from Alexandria and Cairo down to Luxor and Aswan. Among the works that inspired his journey is Monument to the border of fruit soil (Monument to the border of fertile soil), a dreamed linear abstraction describing the irrigated agricultural lands along the Nile – a virtually unchanged landscape since biblical times – like a host of watercolor striations.
Goya Gallagher, founder of the new brand of living in Cairo Anūt Cairo, referred to Monument in the design of Nanusits five cabins for gold (A style of boat with traditional sailing that has been a Nile match for centuries), the attraction in which she escapes when she is not at home in Cairo or London. The shade of the main deck is a large tent, fashionable from sections of heavy linen that are hand -colored in the shades of the sand coast, then sewn almost invisible together. It gently moves to the breeze, an echo of the works of art and the living landscape surrounding the boat, the day in and out.
It is meetings like these, among the artists and the beauty of Egypt, who have not only inspired the design of the Gallagher boat, but also the new beds and tables of Anūt Cairo, glass containers, pottery and accessories. “Egypt is so stratified, both historically and in terms of the arch of his craftsmanship,” she says. “From the ancient to the textiles Coptic, Mamluk and Ottomans.” Each has its own special aesthetic language, but they are all part of the Egyptian heritage erosion. The first collection of Anūt Cairo, a Nile trip, in which Gallagher collaborated with creative director Cruz María Wynham, pays homage to ancient Egypt.
Archetype ceramic Holder Vanilla Candle, £ 138
Mosaic Cosmic Side Table and Cosmic Metal, 2,023 £
Ceramic cow plate, £ 201
Candelabra ceramic candle holder, £ 465
“I have always tended to think about different ages, so this seemed like the right place to start,” she says, looking up and over the pristine white railing up to the riverbed shores remote, where some AWAY miles is the Ptolemaic temple of Horus in Edfu. “Not long ago, I went to the artisans’ graves (in Deir al -Medina). For me they are the most beautiful because they are simply cheaper – the artisans were not forced to support whatever guidance they would have in making the graves of kings and queens. “
On board NanusPharaonic motifs surface everywhere. A side table describes a night sky with a bright moon and five -pointed stars on small mosaic tiles. Executede executed in the incomprehensible nuances of the famous tomb paintings of thebes valley: Rich Saffron Yellow, Oxblood Red, and Indigo so dark is almost black. In the enclosed room closed outside the main deck, the walls are covered in the rear khayamiya tapestries depicting the palms of the date, ritual amphorae and ankhat, crossed with strips and complicated cotton panels, a textile tradition, so Old, quoted by Greek historian and geography Herodotus in the 5th century BC.
Nanus It belonged to Gallagher for 20 years, before which its story is a little mystery: “You almost never really know the origin of these JEHOVAH. All those who try to sell to you, one will insist that once belonged to a prince. At one point, this was apparently a restaurant in Cairo. “When she won it, she was disadvantaged and she undertook the first total restoration with the late antiques Amr Khalil, one of Egypt’s most honorable stylists.” His style was old Egyptian. The design was larger than Now, ”says Gallagher. And then, because river boats always need maintenance, it has a kind of evolved year by year.
“But that,” she says, making gestures in the very old mixture of Egypt of contemporary pastels and rod, akhmim pillows and miraculous khayamiyas, “is the biggest refresh I have done.”
It took place in 2024, at the same time that she and Cruz María Wyndham decided to launch Anūūt Cairo. (Both had previously been involved in the Egyptian design studio Malaika, Gallagher as co -founder.) The fruits of the first collection of Anūt Cairo are thanks to “a large mix of associates,” says Gallagher. “Some were artisans we already knew,” such as Amal Akhnoukh, the mosaic artist who created a charming side table. “But we would never have made a table before. Then we found an excellent metallic worker and both cooperated. It made us realize that we really liked the idea of artists and artisans who intertwine their talent.” One Such multidirectional collaboration means “Things will always have their own peculiarity. which I love. Even when you say, ‘Please do this specific thing, with these specific colors,’ is always a conversation. And There will be an unexpected element, a small surprise. ”
Other collaborators were the latest discoveries, such as Mushira Elamrawy, the coloring expert who created the Klee -inspired tendon. “I found her on Instagram – she lives in Alexander. I asked if she would be interested in making some fabrics for us, using all the old natural colors – pomegranate, hibiscus, cumin and nuts – as a kind The experiment came and it actually taught us how to color.
It is a beautiful example of why Egyptian craft has commanded such respect all over the world and for that long. “But I think it can – should – go to a ladder,” Gallagher says. “We must try to exalt the handicrafts in its highest expression. If I could be part of making this case, then this would be a real success for my mind.”
Meanwhile, her immediate plans include engaging with artists aboard Nanus: “I’ve thought for some time,” I have this boat. I can share it, using it to make some kind of impact. ‘”The concept is to host an artist, or some, on the board for several days and nights, in the hope that the influence of Egypt will find his way in their work, however organically or in detail. Gallagher is fully open “For everyone, as long as they are creative.” A novelist? A ceramic artist? We could do the five senses, with a director, a musician, a creator of spices or a cook … “
Initially the residence will focus on Egyptian artists. Gallagher has set a date for the poet and photographer Mohamed Abdel Wahed to launch it, after which she will collaborate with the famous Gypsum gallery of Cairo. She is still considering what kind of work or contribution will make the artists in question and when, “But I also believe that a trip down the Nile on this boat will do a lot of inspiration for me.”
Anūt Cairo, 14 Shagaret Al Do, Zamalek, Cairo, anutcairo.com. Products also available in Abask.com AND GoodEeworld.com
